Sharp showcases an IGZO LCD display with a ludicrous 736ppi

QuadHD displays have proven a popular choice in larger smartphones like the LG G3 and new Nexus 6 recently, but Sharp has managed to squeeze as many pixels into a much smaller 4.1 inch display, resulting in a colossal pixel density of 736.

This 4.1-inch Sharp display packs a resolution of 1600 x 2560 (WQXGA), that is an even higher pixel count than the LG G3’s and Nexus 6’s QHD standard of 1440 x 2560. These two smartphones manage a PPI of 534 and 493 respectively. Sharps’ new display approximately doubles the pixel density of a similarly sized 720p displays, a typical resolution found in smaller sized smartphones.

Sharp’s previous IGZO LCD panel came with a resolution slightly lower than 500ppi, demonstrating just how far the company has come in shrinking down the size of its pixels lately. The company now reckons that it is ready to realize 4K displays for mobile devices.

As the perceptual limit of individual pixels apparently sits somewhere between 350 and 400 PPI at a typical smartphone viewing distances, depending on who you ask, it will be interesting to see if this display has any practical use in improving image clarity for smartphones.

Sharp is planning to begin volume production of its pixel dense panel sometime in 2016, with sample units heading out to manufacturers next year.